Re: Q - Cut and Paste Plate Glass

Owen, Phil (powen@analogic.com)
Mon, 03 Apr 95 15:05:00 EDT

In the latest issue of the "NASA tech. briefs" they wrote an article specifying how they made a device to make a circular blank. Of course what they are making is going into space so their spec got a little out of hand (diameter accuracy better than .0001") but the design is very adaptable. Briefly, the mirror is held in such a manner (pitch lap ?) that the edge can be brought up to a belt sander and allowed to slowly rotate as the belt sander does it job. They also described the flow of grits onto the work and the amount of pressure to apply during the process. Of course you would want to help out the process by knocking off the corners as Richard Hoffman described in his earlier reply.

As for the pasting of 2 separate pieces of plate glass to get a thicker objective... Wouldn't the differing thermal properties (minute as they may be) of the 2 pieces of glass make the thing warp? Comments?

Phil....

powen@analogic.com